Jesus Christ Is Lord, To The Glory of God The Father!
The “All-Things-JewishBarely-Getting-Started” Guide Book
“NotEnoughToMakeYoua Shcolar,ButMoreThan EnoughToMakeYourHead Hust!”
And Every Tounge Confess That Jesus Je
Things in Heaven, and Things on Earth, And Things Under the earth
“For One Day Every Knee Shall Bow: of
“And the L-rd spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribbon of blue: And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the L-rd, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your G-d. I am the L-rd your G-d, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your G-d: I am the L-rd your G-d.” — Numbers 15:37-41
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Contents Foward ........................................................................................... 3 Chapter 1: Feasts/ Holidays ........................................................... 4 Chapter 2: Hebrew 101 ................................................................ 23 Chapter 3: Things ......................................................................... 28 Chapter 4: Recipes ....................................................................... 43 Chapter 5: Explinations & Ideals ................................................. 45
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Forward
This book contains various rules, regulations, and insight on various Jewish items, ideals, and customs from Jewish, Christian, and academic perspectives. It is in no way exhaustive or guaranteed to be correct. Not a drop of the research presented here is original – the website of origin is printed along with the information. The information is in no significant order; but will present sometimes more than one opinion on the same aspect. No Jews were injured in the making of this book; however I’m sure at least one law was broken. ☺
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Dallas T. Davis
Feasts/ Holidays Pesach (Passover) Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out of this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. 4 On this day you are going out, in the month Abib. 5 And it shall be, when the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month. 6 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Lord. 7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. And no leavened bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among you in all your quarters. 8 And you shall tell your son in that day, saying, ‘This is done because of what the Lord did for me when I came up from Egypt.’ 9 It shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the Lord’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt. 10 You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year. Exod 13:3-10 http://www.highplacesjudaica.com/index.php?cat=874
Passover is the celebration of God delivering the Israelites out of Slavery from Pharaoh, the Egyptian Ruler. God commanded the Israelites to remember the Passover as a festival to the Lord for generations to come (Exodus 12:14). Most Jewish families continue to observe the feast of Passover Seder (supper) on the first day of Passover. Passover is a week long celebration. Why would a Christian family celebrate a Seder Meal? In the New Testament Jesus commanded us to remember His death by observing The Last Supper and it was the Seder meal that He was eating when He instructed us to remember Him by partaking of the Bread and Wine together. In the Old Testament God commanded the Israelites to remember the Seder Passover meal as sacrificed in order that our “joy may be full”.
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Food For Passover In Exodus 12:8 God instructed the Israelites to eat 3 foods ~ Roasted Lamb (Pesah), to be eaten with bitter herbs (Maror) and unleavened bread, or bread made without yeast (Matzah). Below are the Passover foods and the explanations of the meanings from the Old Testament Exodus story (and the New Testament story of Jesus’ as our Messiah.) *Three whole Matzos (unleavened bread). A reminder that the Israelites did not have time to wait for the yeast bread to rise because they had to be ready to move when God said. A piece of the middle one is hidden for a child to find. (New Testament represents the Body of Jesus Christ broken for our sins. As Christians it is a reminder to live so that we are always “ready to go” when Jesus returns. Also yeast sometimes represents the evil in the world. God wants His people to be pure.) *A roasted lamb ~ placed to the host’s right ~ in memory of the lamb sacrificed by Israelites the night before their flight from Egypt. (Jesus is our final perfect Lamb sacrificed for us.) *A roasted egg ~ to the left ~ in mourning for destroyed temple. (Symbol of the free-will offering that was given with the lamb. This represents giving more to God than just what is demanded. This is a gift of love. Jesus is God’s ultimate gift. God’s law demanded justice, but with the gift of Jesus, God gives us more than justice; He gives us mercy, love and forgiveness.) * Maror (bitter herbs) ~ placed in the middle A reminder of the bitterness of slavery in Egypt. (As Christians we remember that many suffered so that we may know the joy of the good news of Jesus.) *Charoseth (chopped almonds, apple, wine, sugar and cinnamon)~ Symbolizes the mortar which the Jews had to mix in making bricks for the king of Egypt. *Salt water ~ to signify the Red Sea which miraculously parted to let the Israelites across. (Represents the tears of all of God’s Saints)
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* Karpar (celery, parsley, greens)The Hebrew word means 600,000 the recorded number who left Egypt. (These plants stay green all year and represent the everlasting life because of Jesus Christ’s Ressurection.) *Wine or grape juice ~ Wine represents JOY. As the service proceeds, as each plaque is mentioned, each person sips a little of the wine. This means that until we were totally free and out of bondange, joy was incomplete. (At the Last Supper Jesus said that the wine represented His own life’s blood, poured out for us. He had to die so that we could know the total joy of freedom and forgiveness.) *Elijah’s cup ~ usually a treasured one filled with wine ~ is placed on the table to await the arrival of the Messiah. (Jesus said in Matthew 11:14 that John the Baptist was the promised Elijah who was to announce the Messiah’s coming. For Christians this cup does not remain untouched. It is shared by everyone at the table in the joy that our hope had come true. The Messiah has come to us and is alive to give our lives eternal joy.
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Seder Plate SEDER CEREMONY The Father or Grandfather is seated at head of the table. The dishes to be served should be located where the father can pass to the family. The youngest son or male asks the same question 5 times, and the father answers explaining why. Here is the question, and the answers. Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights we eat either leavened bread or matzah. On this night, only matzah. On all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs. On this night, only bitter herbs. On all other nights we do not dip even once. On this night, we dip twice. On all other nights we eat either sitting up or reclining. On this night we all recline. On all other nights we eat in any ordinary way. On this night we dine in special ceremony. I think it is interesting to find that Jesus and His Disciples were “Reclining� while they ate the Passover on the night of the Last Supper. http://www.just4kidsmagazine.com/rainbowcastle/seder.html
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OUR SEDER FEAST In Exodus 12:8 God instructed the Israelites to eat 3 foods ~ Roasted Lamb (Pesah), to be eaten with bitter herbs (Maror) and unleavened bread, or bread made without yeast (Matzah).
* Roasted Lamb ~ Our favorite recipe in the recipe section of this book. * Matzah ~ Sometimes these are hard to find. I used crackers one year because I could not find them at my store. * Maror ~ Bitter Herbs (horseradish sauce for dipping lamb) * Roasted Egg ~ (I boil the eggs over a fire) *Charoseth ~ chopped almonds, apple, wine, sugar and cinnamon (I add frozen blueberries, manderin oranges and celery) * Kapar ~ “Greens� Large bowl of lettuce, celery, parsley (Tray of celery, cucmbers and carrots with a ranch dip placed in center.) * Wine ~ Grape juice for young children. * Salt water ~ for dipping parsley in. There are basic foods that are to be included in the Seder Feast. However I discovered that you can add more foods to make the feast more delicious.
And Now, for the Heavy Stuff...
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Passover is probably the best known of the Jewish holidays, mostly because it ties in with Christian history (the Last Supper was apparently a Passover seder), and because a lot of its observances have been reinterpreted by Christians as Messianic and signs of Jesus. Passover begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nissan. It is the first of the three major festivals with both historical and agricultural significance (the other two are Shavu’ot and Sukkot). Agriculturally, it represents the beginning of the harvest season in Israel, but little attention is paid to this aspect of the holiday. The primary observances of Passover are related to the Exodus from Egypt after 400 years of slavery. This story is told in Exodus, Ch. 1-15. Many of the Passover observances are instituted in Chs. 1215. The name “Passover” refers to the fact that G-d “passed over” the houses of the Jews when he was slaying the firstborn of Egypt. In Hebrew, it is known as Pesach (that “ch” is pronounced as in the Scottish “loch”), which is based on the Hebrew root meaning “pass over”. The holiday is also referred to as Chag he-Aviv (the Spring Festival), Chag ha-Matzoth (the Festival of Matzahs), and Zeman Herutenu (the Time of Our Freedom) (again, all with those Scottish “ch”s). Probably the most significant observance related to Passover involves the removal of chametz (leaven; sounds like “hum it’s” with that Scottish ch) from our homes. This commemorates the fact that the Jews leaving Egypt were in a hurry, and did not have time to let their bread rise. It is also a symbolic way of removing the “puffiness” (arrogance, pride) from our souls. Chametz includes anything made from the five major grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt) that has not been completely cooked within 18 minutes after coming into contact with water. Traditional Jews of Ashkenazic background also avoid rice, corn, peanuts, and legumes (beans) as if they were chametz. All of these items have been used to make bread, thus use of them was prohibited to avoid any confusion. Such additional items are referred to as “kitniyos.” We may not eat chametz during Passover; we may not even own it or derive benefit from it. We may not even feed it to our pets or cattle. All chametz, including utensils used to cook chametz, must either be disposed of or sold to a non-Jew. The process of cleaning the home of all chametz in preparation for Passover is an enormous task. To do it right, you must spend several days scrubbing everything down, going over the edges of your stove and fridge with a toothpick and a Q-Tip, covering all surfaces that come in contact with foil or shelf-liner, etc., etc., etc. After the cleaning is completed, the morning before the seder, a formal search of the house for chametz is undertaken, and any remaining chametz is burned.
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The grain product we eat during Passover is called matzah. Matzah is unleavened bread, made simply from flour and water and cooked very quickly. This is the bread that the Jews made for their flight from Egypt. We have come up with many inventive ways to use matzah; it is available in a variety of textures for cooking: matzah flour (finely ground), matzah meal (coarsely ground), matzah farfel (little chunks, used as a noodle substitute), and fullsized matzahs (about 10 inches square, a bread substitute). The day before Passover is the fast of the firstborn, a minor fast for all firstborn males, commemorating the fact that the firstborn Jewish males in Egypt were not killed during the final plague. On the first night of Passover (first two nights for traditional Jews outside Israel), we have a special family meal filled with ritual to remind us of the significance of the holiday. This meal is called a seder, from a Hebrew root word meaning “order.” It is the same root from which we derive the word “siddur” (prayer book). There is a specific set of information that must be covered in a specific order. This is the seder. Passover lasts for seven days (eight days outside of Israel). The first and last days of the holiday (first two and last two outside of Israel) are days on which no work is permitted. Work is permitted on the intermediate days. These intermediate days on which work is permitted are referred to as Chol HaMo’ed, as are the intermediate days of Sukkot. The Passover Seder Text The text of the Passover seder is written in a book called the Haggadah. The content of the seder can be summed up by the following Hebrew rhyme: Kaddesh, Urechatz, Karpas, Yachatz, Maggid, Rachtzah, Motzi Matzah, Maror, Korech, Shulchan Orech, Tzafun, Barech, Hallel, Nirtzah
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Now, what does that mean? 1. Kaddesh: Sanctification The word is derived from the Hebrew root Qof-Dalet-Shin, meaning holy. This is a blessing over wine in honor of the holiday. The wine is drunk, and a second cup is poured. 2. Urechatz: Washing A washing of the hands without a blessing, in preparation for eating the Karpas. 3. Karpas: Vegetable A vegetable (usually parsley) is dipped in salt water and eaten. The vegetable symbolizes the lowly origins of the Jewish people; the salt water symbolizes the tears shed as a result of our slavery. Parsley is a good vegetable to use for this purpose, because when you shake off the salt water, it looks like tears. 4. Yachatz: Breaking One of the three matzahs on the table is broken. Part is returned to the pile, the other part is set aside for the afikomen (see below). 5. Maggid: The Story A retelling of the story of the Exodus from Egypt and the first Passover. This begins with the youngest person asking The Four Questions, a set of questions about the proceedings designed to encourage participation in the seder. The Four Questions are also known as Mah Nishtanah (Why is it different?), which are the first words of the Four Questions. The maggid is designed to satisfy the needs of four different types of people: the wise son, who wants to know the technical details; the wicked son, who excludes himself (and learns the penalty for doing so); the simple son, who needs to know the basics; and the son who is unable to ask, the one who doesn’t even know enough to know what he needs to know. At the end of the maggid, a blessing is recited over the second cup of wine and it is drunk. 6. Rachtzah: Washing A second washing of the hands, this time with a blessing, in preparation for eating the matzah. 7. Motzi: Blessing over Grain Products
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The ha-motzi blessing, a generic blessing for bread or grain products used as a meal, is recited over the matzah.
8. Matzah: Blessing over Matzah A blessing specific to matzah is recited, and a bit of matzah is eaten. 9. Maror: Bitter Herbs A blessing is recited over a bitter vegetable (usually raw horseradish; sometimes romaine lettuce), and it is eaten. This symbolizes the bitterness of slavery. The maror is eaten with charoses, a mixture of apples, nuts, cinnamon and wine, which symbolizes the mortar used by the Jews in building during their slavery. 10. Korech: The Sandwich Rabbi Hillel was of the opinion that the maror should be eaten together with matzah and the paschal offering in a sandwich. In his honor, we eat some maror on a piece of matzah, with some charoses (we don’t do animal sacrifice anymore, so there is no paschal offering). 11. Shulchan Orech: Dinner A festive meal is eaten. There is no particular requirement regarding what to eat at this meal (except, of course, that chametz cannot be eaten). Among Ashkenazic Jews, gefilte fish and matzah ball soup are traditionally eaten at the beginning of the meal. 12. Tzafun: The Afikomen The piece of matzah set aside earlier is eaten as “desert,” the last food of the meal. Different families have different traditions relating to the afikomen. Some have the children hide it, while the parents have to either find it or ransom it back. Others have the parents hide it. The idea is to keep the children awake and attentive throughout the premeal proceedings, waiting for this part. 13. Barech: Grace after Meals The third cup of wine is poured, and grace after meals is recited. This is similar to the grace that would be said on any Sabbath. At the end, a blessing is said over the third cup and it is drunk. The fourth cup is poured, including a cup set aside for the prophet Elijah, who is supposed to herald the Messiah, and is supposed to come on Passover to do this. The door is opened for a while at this point (supposedly for Elijah, but historically because Jews were accused of nonsense like putting the blood of Christian babies in matzah, and we wanted to show our Christian neighbors that we weren’t doing anything unseemly). 14. Hallel: Praises Several psalms are recited. A blessing is recited over the last cup of wine and it is drunk.
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15. Nirtzah: Closing A simple statement that the seder has been completed, with a wish that next year, we may celebrate Passover in Jerusalem (i.e., that the Messiah will come within the next year). This is followed by various hymns and stories. List of Dates Passover will begin on the following days on the American calendar: •
April 17, 2003 (Jewish Year 5763)
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April 6, 2004 (Jewish Year 5764)
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April 24, 2005 (Jewish Year 5765)
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April 13, 2006 (Jewish Year 5766)
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April 3, 2007 (Jewish Year 5767)
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April 20, 2008 (Jewish Year 5768)
http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/Judaism/holidaya.html
The High Holy Days Rosh Hashanah After Pentecost, there is a long time lapse before the next feast. Christians see in this the present age of waiting for the return of the Messiah. Then in the autumn, in the month of Tishri, the seventh month of the Jewish calendar, comes the Feast of Trumpets, more commonly called Rosh Hashanah. This marks the beginning of the civil year and is the Jewish New Year’s Day. In Leviticus 23:24 God commanded the blowing of trumpets on the first day of the seventh month to call the congregation of Israel together for a very solemn assembly. According to Jewish teachings, Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of ten days of judgment when all the children of men pass before the Creator. The righteous are written into the Book of Life, the wicked are condemned and those who are not wholly righteous nor wholly wicked are given ten days to repent and thus escape judgment.
Christians believe that those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life need not fear final judgment, but look forward to Messiah’s return with the trumpet sound and the voice of the Archangel to bring us into His Sabbath rest. Yom Kippur The ten days of repentance and introspection lead into the most solemn day of the Jewish year, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. It was the only time in Bible days when the high priest could enter the Holy oh Holies. He went in before the Lord with the blood of a sacrificed animal to beg forgiveness for the sins of the people. ( Lev. 16, 23, 25: Num. 29). Today there are no animal sacrifices and no Temple. The Jewish people rely on repentance for forgiveness of sins. Scriptures teach in Lev. 17:11 that atonement is in the blood. Christians believe that Messiah offered His own blood as an atonement or covering and the veil of the Temple was torn in two, signifying that He had opened the way into the Holy of Holies. By His sacrifice all who believe now have access to God and a covering for sin. Both Jews and Christians expect a great and final Day of Atonement prophesied in Zechariah 12:11 and 13:1 when all Israel shall see the Messiah. Sukkot The seventh and final feast is the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles, known in Hebrew as Sukkot. In Bible days this was the final fall harvest festival, a time of ingathering at Jerusalem. The Jewish people built booth-like structures and lived in them during this feast as a reminder of the temporary dwellings the Israelites had in the wilderness. Even today many Jewish people build open roofed, three-sided huts for this festival. They decorate them with tree boughs and autumn fruits to remind them of harvest. Everyone in Israel who was able, came up to Jerusalem for this harvest festival every year.
The temple worship for the holiday included the ritual pouring of water from the pool of Siloam, symbolic of the prayers for the winter rains. It was at this time that Yeshua (Jesus) cried out,…”If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink”. (John 7:37-38). A fter Israel’s final day of atonement, the Feat of Booths will be celebrated again in Jerusalem. (Zechariah 14:16) Booths speak of the final rest, as well as the final harvest. John wrote in Revelation 21:3, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.” Christians see this as the fulfillment of His promise,.. “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is thirsty of the fountain of the water of life freely.” (Revelation 21:6).
http://www.highplacesjudaica.com/index.php?cat=874 The Jewish High Holy Days Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are the most important of all Jewish Holidays and the only holidays that are purely religious, they are not tied to historical or natural events. They are observed in the fall season of the western calendar and the seventh month of the Jewish calendar - Tishri. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is observed on the first and second day of Tishri, the seventh month of the Jewish calender. Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement, falls on the tenth day of Tishri. It is the most solemn day of the Jewish year. Rosh Hashanah begins a 10 day period, known as the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora’im, a time of penitence and prayer that ends with Yom Kippur. Jews worldwide are given these 10 days to repent for their sins and ask G-d for forgiveness. “May you be inscribed in the Book of Life” Is the common greeting during this period as it is believed that on Rosh Hashanah the destiny of all mankind is recorded by G-d in the Book of Life. On Yom Kippur the Book is closed and sealed. Those that have repented for their sins are granted a good and happy New Year.
The Jewish Holiday of Rosh Hashanah
The Jewish Holiday of Rosh Hashanah is widely known and celebrated as the New Years Day of the Jewish calendar, but actually Rosh Hashanah has a fourfold meaning - It is the Jewish New Year, the Day of Judgement, the Day of Remembrance, and the Day of Shofar Blowing. • It is the Day of Judgement As Jews worldwide examine their past deeds and asks for forgiveness for their sins • It is the Day of Shofar Blowing As the Shofar (the rams horn)is blown in temple to herald the beginning of the 10 day period known as the High Holy Days • It is the Day of Remembrance As Jews review the history of their people and pray for Israel • And of course it is New Year’s Day Celebrated with it’s holiday greeting cards, special prayers, and festive and sweet foods (to ensure sweetness in the New Year) Rosh Hashanah is observed the first and second day of the seventh month of the Jewish calender, Tishri. Coming in the Fall season of the western calendar, usually in September. In Israel Rosh Hashanah is the only holiday kept for 2 days as it is considered too important to be observed for only 24 hours. Both days are considered one long day of 48 hours. The traditions of Rosh Hashanah are simple as the only commandment specified for the holiday is the blowing of the shofar. In temple the shofar is blown on Rosh Hashanah to herald the beginning of the period known as the High Holy Days.It is believed that on Rosh Hashanah the destiny of all mankind is recorded by G-d in the Book of Life. After Rosh Hashanah services, as the congregants leave the synagogue they say to each other... “May you be inscribed in the Book of Life” On the first day of Rosh Hashanah, after the afternoon services, Jews visit a body of water or pond, containing live fish*, to symbolically “cast away” their sins into the river. *The fish’s dependence on water symbolizes the Jews dependence on G-d, as a fish’s eyes never close, Gd’s watchful eyes never cease.
On Rosh Hashanah it is customary for families to gather together for the holiday meal. Traditional foods sweetened with honey, apples and carrots are served, symbolizing sweetness, blessings, abundance and the hope for a sweet year ahead. The first night’s meal begins with apple dipped in honey. Challah, the bread usually eaten on the Sabbath (not braided as at regular meals but instead baked in a circle - a wish that the coming year will roll around smoothly without unhappiness or sorrow) is also dipped in honey before eating. http://www.holidays.net/highholydays/
The Jewish Holiday ofYom Kippur Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the most sacred of the Jewish holidays, the “Sabbath of Sabbaths.”By Yom Kippur the 40 days of repentance, that begin with the first of Elul, have passed. On Rosh Hashanah G-d has judged most of mankind and has recorded his judgement in the Book of Life. But he has given a 10 day reprieve. On Yom Kippur the Book of Life is closed and sealed. Those that have repented for their sins are granted a good and happy New Year.Since Yom Kippur is the day to ask forgiveness for promises broken to G-d, the day before is reserved for asking forgiveness for broken promises between people, as G-d cannot forgive broken promises between people. Yom Kippur is a day of “NOT” doing. The is no blowing of the Shofar and Jews may not eat or drink, as fasting is the rule. It is believed that to fast on Yom Kippur is to emulate the angels in heaven, who do not eat, drink, or wash. The Five Prohibitions of Yom Kippur 1. Eating and drinking 2. Anointing with perfumes or lotions 3. Marital relations 4. Washing 5. Wearing leather shoes While Yom Kippur is devoted to fasting, the day before is devoted to eating. According to the The Talmud the person “who eats on the ninth of Tishri (and fasts on the tenth) , it is as if he had fasted both the ninth and tenth.” Prayer is also down played so that Jews can concentrate on eating and preparing for the fast.
On the eve of Yom Kippur the community joins at the synagogue. Men put on prayer shawls (not usually worn in the evenings). Then as the night falls the cantor begins the “Kol Nidre”, it is repeated 3 times, each time in a louder voice. The Kol Nidre emphasizes the importance in keeping vows, as violating an oath is one of the worst sins.An important part of the Yom Kippur service is the “Vidui” (Viduy) or confession. The confessions serve to help reflect on ones misdeeds and to confess them verbally is part of the formal repentance in asking G-d’s forgiveness. Because community and unity are an important part of Jewish Life, the confessions are said in the plural (We are guilty). As Yom Kippur ends, at the last hour a service called “Ne’ila” (Neilah) offers a final opportunity for repentance. It is the only service of the year during which the doors to the Ark (where the Torah scrolls are stored) remain open from the beginning to end of the service, signifying that the gates of Heaven are open at this time. The service closes with the verse, said 7 times, “The Lrd is our G-d.” The Shofar is sounded once and the congregation proclaim - “Next year in Jerusalem.” Yom Kippur is over. http://www.holidays.net/highholydays/
Tu B’Shevat Tu B’Shevat, Jewish Arbor Day, is usually celebrated in February. The weather is mild in Israel at that time and planting is a way to look forward to the promise of spring. People living in colder climates might start plant indoors to celebrate the holiday. It is a tradition in some Jewish families to plant parsley seeds at Tu B’Shevat and grow the parsley for their Passover Seder karpas (green vegetable). It is also traditional to eat fruits and nuts for Tu B’Shevat to remind us of all of the gifts we receive from trees throughout the year.
http://www.azmetro.com/
The Story of Chanukah
Every year between the end of November and the end of December, Jewish people around the world celebrate the holiday of Chanukah, the Festival of Lights. Chanukah begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, but the starting date on the western calender varies from year to year. The holiday celebrates the events which took place over 2,300 years ago in the land of Judea, which is now Israel. Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away WHOOPS! Wrong story! :-) Long ago in the land of Judea there was a Syrian king, Antiochus. The king ordered the Jewish people to reject their G-d, their religion, their customs and their beliefs and to worship the Greek gods. There were some who did as they were told, but many refused. One who refused was Judah Maccabee. Judah and his four brothers formed an army and chose as their name the word “Maccabee”, which means hammer. After three years of fighting, the Maccabees were finally successful in driving the Syrians out of Israel and reclaimed the Temple in Jerusalem. The Maccabees wanted to clean the building and to remove the hated Greek symbols and statues. On the 25th day of the month of Kislev, the job was finished and the temple was rededicated When Judah and his followers finished cleaning the temple, they wanted to light the eternal light, known as the N’er Tamid, which is present in every Jewish house of worship. Once lit, the oil lamp should never be extinguished Only a tiny jug of oil was found with only enough for a single day. The oil lamp was filled and lit. Then a miracle occurred as the tiny amount of oil stayed lit not for one day, but for eight days Jews celebrate Chanukah to mark the victory over the Syrians and the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple. The Festival of the Lights, Chanukah, lasts for eight days to commemorate the miracle of the oil. The word Chanukah means “rededication” In America, families celebrate Chanukah at home. They give and receive gifts, decorate the house, entertain friends and family, eat special foods, and light the holiday menorah. http://www.holidays.net/chanukah/story.html
The Story of Shavuot Shavuot, the Feast of the Weeks, is the Jewish holiday celebrating the harvest season in Israel. Shavuot, which means “weeks”, refers to the timing of the festival which is held exactly 7 weeks after Passover. Shavuot is known also as Yom Habikkurim, or “the Day of the First Fruits”, because it is the time the farmers of Israel would bring their first harvest to Jerusalem as a token of thanksgiving. Shavuot also commemorates the anniversary of the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai. Celebrating the Day of the First FruitsThe farmers of Israel would begin their spring harvests with the barley crop at Passover. The harvest continued for seven weeks as the other crops and fruits began to ripen. As each fruit ripened, the first of each type would not be eaten but instead the farmer would tie a ribbon around the the branch. This ribbon signified that these fruits were Bikkurim, or the first fruits. At Shavuot the farmers would gather the Bikkurim into baskets and bring them to the city of Jerusalem where they would be eaten in the holy city. The farmers living close to Jerusalem would bring fresh fruits, while those who had to travel a long distance carried dried raisins and figs. This joyful occasion was celebrated with the music of fifes, timbres, and drums. As the pilgrims approached the city walls they were greeted by the inhabitants of the city. Sometimes the King himself would join the procession to the Temple Mount. The Bikkurim ritual is no longer practiced in present day Israel.
The Legends and Customs of Shavuot Many of the traditions and customs of Shavuot have evolved from the legends and stories describing the experiences of the Israelites at Mount Sinai. According to tradition the Israelites actually overslept on the morning of G-d’s visit. To compensate for this negligence, Jews hold a vigil on the eve of Shavuot. They stay awake from dusk to dawn, keeping themselves busy with the readings of the Torah and the Talmud. A digest of readings has evolved called Tikkun Leil Shavuot, the “Restoration of Shavuot Eve,” which includes selections from the Torah, the Prophets, the Talmud, and the Zohar. Another Shavuot custom is the eating of dairy foods. One explanation states that this comes from a passage in the Torah which reads: “And He gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey”.Another explanation comes from a legend stating that before the visit from G-d the Jews did not keep kosher or follow the Kashrut (dietary) laws. It was on this first Shavuot that they found out that their utensils were nonkosher and thus unfit for use. So finding themselves without kosher meats or utensils the Israelites were forced to eat only dairy foods. Today Jews celebrate Shavuot by eating blintzes, cheesecake, and other dairy dishes. Another legend tells the story of the Israelites finding Mount Sinai blooming and lush with greenery and flowers. From this legend grew the custom to decorate the Jewish home and synagogue with tree branches and flowers. Some temples decorate the Torah scrolls with wreaths of roses.
http://www.holidays.net/highholydays
Shavuot and the Ten Commandments Shavuot is also known as Zeman Matan Toratenu, the Season of the Giving of Our Law, which commemorates the receiving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. After Moses and the Israelites fled the slavery of Egypt, they wandered the desert. G-d provided the travelers with food to eat (manna) and water to drink. After long months Moses brought his followers to the foot of a mountain called Sinai. Though the desert was dry and bare, the mountain was lush and green, covered with grass, flowers and trees. Moses and the Israelites set up camp at the base of the mountain. On the third day of the Hebrew month of Sivan, Moses was commanded by G-d to prepare the Jewish people for G-d’s decent and visit. The Israelites washed and purified their clothes and their bodies.
Three days later, on the sixth day of Sivan, the people were awaken by thunder and lightning. Thick, dark clouds hung over the mountain. The sounds of the Shofar, the ram’s horn, were heard echoing across the desert. The earth began to tremble and shake. Then the Israelites heard a voice, G-d’s voice, as he spoke to them from out of the clouds. And G-d gave them his Ten Commandments
Moses went up the mountain and returned with the Tablets that contained the Ten Commandments. Through the centuries the Jewish people have celebrated this important event. It was at Mount Sinai that this band of worn and weary travelers would become the nation known as Israel. http://www.holidays.net/highholydays/
Hebrew 101 Hebrew uses a different alphabet than you are used to and is read from right to left. The word “Shalom,” which means hello, goodbye, and peace, looks like this:
The chart below presents Hebrew pronunciation of words using English characters. (Note that the “ch” is sounded like the “ch” in Bach):
one two three four five six seven eight nine ten hello/goodbye thank you you’re welcome
e-chat shta-yim sha-losh ar-bah cha-maysh shesh sheh-vah shmo-neh tay-sha es-ser Sha-lom (literally means “peace”)As in “peace be with you” to-dah ra-bah ahl low dah-var
http://www.azmetro.com/8909hebrew.html
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Hebrew Alphabet The Hebrew and Yiddish languages use a different alphabet than English. The picture below illustrates the Hebrew alphabet, in Hebrew alphabetical order. Note that Hebrew is written from right to left, rather than left to right as in English, so Alef is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet and Tav is the last. The Hebrew alphabet is often called the “alefbet,” because of its first two letters. Letters of the Alefbet
If you are familiar with Greek, you will no doubt notice substantial similarities in letter names and in the order of the alphabet. The “Kh” and the “Ch” are pronounced as in German or Scottish, a throat clearing noise, not as the “ch” in “chair.”
Note that there are two versions of some letters. Kaf, Mem, Nun, Pe and Tzade all are written differently when they appear at the end of a word than when they appear in the beginning or middle of the word. The version used at the end of a word is referred to as Final Kaf, Final Mem, etc. The version of the letter on the left is the final version. In all cases except Final Mem, the final version has a long tail. Vowels and Points Like most early Semitic alphabetic writing systems, the alefbet has no vowels. People who are fluent in the language do not need vowels to read Hebrew, and most things written in Hebrew in Israel are written without vowels. However, as Hebrew literacy declined, particularly after the Romans expelled the Jews from Israel, the rabbis recognized the need for aids to pronunciation, so they developed a system of dots and dashes called nikkud (points). These dots and dashes are written above, below or inside the letter, in ways that do not alter the spacing of the line. Text containing these markings is referred to as “pointed� text. Most nikkud are used to indicate vowels. The table at right illustrates the vowel points, along with their pronunciations. Pronunciations are approximate; I have heard quite a bit of variation in vowel pronunciation. Vowel points are shown in blue. The letter Alef, shown in red, is used to illustrate the position of the points relative to the consonents. The letters shown in purple are technically consonents and would appear in unpointed texts, but they function as vowels in this context. There are a few other nikkud, illustrated and explained below.
The dot that appears in the center of some letters is called a dagesh. With most letters, the dagesh does not significantly affect pronunciation. With the letters Bet, Kaf and Pe, however, the dagesh indicates that the letter should be pronounced with its hard sound (the first sound) rather than the soft sound (the second sound). In Ashkenazic pronunciation (the pronunciation used by many Orthodox Jews and by older Jews), Tav also has a soft sound, and is pronounced as an “s” when it does not have a dagesh. Vav, usually a consonant pronounced as a “v,” is sometimes a vowel pronounced “oo” (u) or “oh” (o). When it is pronounced “oo”, pointed texts have a dagesh. When it is pronounced “oh”, pointed texts have a dot on top. Shin is pronounced “sh” when it has a dot over the right branch and “s” when it has a dot over the left branch. Styles of Writing The style of writing illustrated above is the one most commonly seen in Hebrew books. It is referred to as block print or sometimes Assyrian text. For sacred documents, such as torah scrolls or the scrolls inside tefillin and mezuzot, there is a special writing style with “crowns” (crows-foot-like marks coming up from the upper points) on many of the letters. This style of writing is known as STA”M (an abbreviation for “Sifrei Torah, Tefillin and Mezuzot,” which is where you will see that style of writing. There is another style used for handwriting, in much the same way that cursive is used for the Roman (English) alphabet. Another style is used in certain texts to distinguish the body of the text from commentary upon the text. This style is known as Rashi Script, in honor of Rashi, the greatest commentator on the Torah and the Talmud. Transliteration The process of writing Hebrew words in the Roman (English) alphabet is known as transliteration. Transliteration is more an art than a science, and opinions on the correct way to transliterate words vary widely. This is why the Jewish festival of lights (in Hebrew, Chet-Nun-Kaf-He) is spelled Chanukah, Chanukkah, Hanuka, and many other interesting ways. Each spelling has a legitimate phonetic and orthographic basis; none is right or wrong.
Numerical Values Each letter in the alefbet has a numerical value. These values can be used to write numbers, as the Romans used some of their letters (I, V, X, L, C, M) to represent numbers. Alef through Yod have the values 1 through 10. Yod through Qof have the values 10 through 100, counting by 10s. Qof through Tav have the values 100 through 400, counting by 100s. Final letters have the same value as their non-final counterparts. The number 11 would be rendered Yod-Alef, the number 12 would be Yod-Bet, the number 21 would be Kaf-Alef, the word Torah (Tav-Vav-Resh-He) has the numerical value 611, etc. The only significant oddity in this pattern is the numbers 15 and 16, which if rendered as 10+5 or 10+6 would be a name of Gd, so they are normally written Tet-Vav (9+6) and Tet-Zayin (9+7). The order of the letters is irrelevant to their value; letters are simply added to determine the total numerical value. The number 11 could be written as Yod-Alef, Alef-Yod, Heh-Vav, Dalet-Dalet-Gimmel or many other combinations of letters. Because of this system of assigning numerical values to letters, every word has a numerical value. There is an entire discipline of Jewish mysticism known as Gematria that is devoted to finding hidden meanings in the numerical values of words. For example, the number 18 is very significant, because it is the numerical value of the word Chai, meaning life. Donations to Jewish charities are routinely made in denominations of 18 for that reason. I have received several e-mails pointing out that the numerical value of Vav (often transliterated as W) is 6, and therefore WWW has the numerical value of 666! It’s an amusing notion, but Hebrew numbers just don’t work that way. In Hebrew numerals, the position of the letter/digit is irrelevant; the letters are simply added up to determine the value. To say that Vav-Vav-Vav is six hundred and sixty-six would be like saying that the Roman numeral III is one hundred and eleven. The numerical value of Vav-Vav-Vav in Hebrew would be 6+6+6=18, so WWW is equivalent to life! (It is also worth noting that the significance of the number 666 is a part of Christian numerology, and has no basis that I know of in Jewish thought). http://www.jewfaq.org/signs.htm
Things The Shofar “Then you shall transmit a blast on the horn; in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, the day of Yom Kippur, you shall have the horn sounded throughout the land...And proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” (Leviticus 25) The Shofar, a well know symbol of Rosh Hashanah, is one of the earliest instruments used in Jewish music. Usually made from a rams horn, a shofar can also be made from the horns of other animals, including those of a goat or sheep. It is the one musical instrument that has not changed in over 5,000 years. In Biblical times the shofar was blown to announce an important event, such as the alarm of war or the coming of peace. The Great shofar is said to have been sounded during the greatest event in all Jewish history, the giving of the ten commandments to Moses at Mount Sinai (Shavuot).The blowing of the Shofar is the only specific commandment for Rosh Hashanah. Just as trumpeters announced the presence of their mortal king, the Shofar is used by Jews to proclaim the coronation of the King of Kins. The rams horn is blown 100 times. It is an appropriate symbol as it reminds Jews everywhere of the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, to fulfill G-d’s command. At the last moment G-d ordered Abraham to exchange Isaac with a sacrificial lamb. http://www.holidays.net/highholydays/
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Mezuzah On the doorposts of traditional Jewish homes (and many not-so-traditional homes!), you will find a small case like the one pictured at left. This case is commonly known as a mezuzah (Heb.: doorpost), because it is placed upon the doorposts of the house. The mezuzah is not, as some suppose, a good-luck charm, nor does it have any connection with the lamb’s blood placed on the doorposts in Egypt. Rather, it is a constant reminder of Gd’s presence and G-d’s mitzvot. The mitzvah to place mezuzot on the doorposts of our houses is derived from Deut. 6:4-9, a passage commonly known as the Shema (Hear, from the first word of the passage). In that passage, G-d commands us to keep His words constantly in our minds and in our hearts, by (among other things) writing them on the doorposts of our house. The words of the Shema are written on a tiny scroll of parchment, along with the words of a companion passage, Deut. 11:13-21. On the back of the scroll, a name of G-d is written. The scroll is then rolled up placed in the case, so that the first letter of the Name (the letter Shin) is visible (or, more commonly, the letter Shin is written on the outside of the case). The scroll must be handwritten in a special style of writing and must be placed in the case to fulfill the mitzvah. It is commonplace for gift shops to sell cases without scrolls, or with mechanically printed scrolls, because a proper scroll costs more than even an elaborately decorated case ($30-$50 for a valid scroll is quite reasonable). According to traditional authorities, mechanically printed scrolls do not fulfill the mitzvah of the mezuzah, nor does an empty case. The case and scroll are then nailed or affixed to the right side doorpost on an angle, with a small ceremony called Chanukkat Ha-Bayit (dedication of the house - yes, this is the same word as Chanukkah, the holiday celebrating the rededication of the Temple after the Maccabean revolt against Greece). A brief blessing is recited. Why is the mezuzah affixed at an angle? The rabbis could not decide whether it should be placed horizontally or vertically, so they compromised! Every time you pass through a door with a mezuzah on it, you touch the mezuzah and then kiss the fingers that touched it, expressing love and respect for G-d and his mitzvot and reminding yourself of the mitzvot contained within them. It is proper to remove a mezuzah when you move, and in fact, it is usually recommended. If you leave it in place, the subsequent owner may treat it with disrespect, and this is a grave sin. I have seen many mezuzot in apartment complexes that have been painted over by subsequent owners, and it breaks my heart every time I see that sort of disrespect to an object of religious significance.
Tefillin The Shema also commands us to bind the words to our hands and between our eyes. We do this by laying tefillin, that is, by binding to our arms and foreheads a leather pouch containing scrolls of Torah passages. The word “tefillin” is usually translated “phylacteries,” although I don’t much care for that term, partly because it isn’t very enlightening if you don’t already know what tefillin are, and partly because it means “amulet,” and suggests that tefillin are some kind of protective charm, which they clearly are not. On the contrary, the word “tefillin” is etymologically related to the word “tefilah” (prayer) and the root Pe-Lamed-Lamed (judgment). Like the mezuzah, tefillin are meant to remind us of G-d’s mitzvot. At weekday morning services, one case is tied to the arm, with the scrolls at the biceps and leather straps extending down the arm to the hand, then another case is tied to the head, with the case on the forehead and the straps hanging down over the shoulders. Appropriate blessings are recited during this process. The tefillin are removed at the conclusion of the morning services. Like the scrolls in a mezuzah, the scrolls in tefillin must be handwritten in a special style of writing. A good, valid set of tefillin can cost a few hundred dollars, but if properly cared for they can last for a lifetime.
Tzitzit and Tallit The Torah also commands us to wear tzitzit (fringes) at the corners of our garments as a reminder of the mitzvot. Num. 15:37-41. There is a complex procedure for tying the knots of the tzitzit, filled with religious and numerological significance. The mitzvah to wear tzitzit only applies to four-cornered garments, which were common in biblical times but are not common anymore. To fulfill this mitzvah, adult men wear a four-cornered shawl called a tallit (pictured above) during morning services, along with the tefillin. Strictly observant Jewish men commonly wear a special four-cornered garment, similar to a poncho, called a tallit katan (“little tallit”), so that they will have the opportunity to fulfill this important mitzvah all day long. The tallit katan is worn under the shirt, with the tzitzit hanging out so they can be seen.
There is no particular religious significance to the tallit (shawl) itself, other than the fact that it holds the tzitzit (fringes) on its corners. There are also very few religious requirements with regard to the design of the tallit. The tallit must be long enough to be worn over the shoulders (as a shawl), not just around the neck (as a scarf), to fulfill the requirement that the tzitzis be on a “garment.” It may be made of any material, but must not be made of a combination of wool and linen, because that combination is forbidden on any clothing. (Lev. 19:19; Deut. 22:11). Most tallitot are white with navy or black stripes along the shorter ends, as in the illustration above. They also commonly have an artistic motif of some kind along the top long end (the part that goes against your neck). This motif is referred to as an atarah (crown). There is no particular religious significance to the atarah; it simply tells you which end is up! It is quite common, however, to write the words of the blessing for putting on the tallit on the atarah, so you can read the blessing while you are putting the tallit on. If a blessing is written on your tallit, you should be careful not to bring the tallit into the bathroom with you! Sacred writings should not be brought into the bathroom. For this reason, many synagogues have a tallit rack outside of the bathroom. Menorah One of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith is the menorah, a sevenbranched candelabrum used in the Temple. The kohanim lit the menorah in the Sanctuary every evening and cleaned it out every morning, replacing the wicks and putting fresh olive oil into the cups. The illustration is based on instructions for construction of the menorah found in Ex. 25:31-40. It has been said that the menorah is a symbol of the nation of Israel and our mission to be “a light unto the nations.” (Isaiah 42:6). The sages emphasize that light is not a violent force; Israel is to accomplish its mission by setting an example, not by using force. This idea is highlighted in the vision in Zechariah 4:1-6. Zechariah sees a menorah, and G-d explains: “Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit.”
The lamp stand in today’s synagogues, called the ner tamid (lit. the continual light, usually translated as the eternal flame), symbolizes the menorah. The nine-branched menorah used on Chanukkah is commonly patterned after this menorah, because Chanukkah commemorates the miracle that a day’s worth of oil for this menorah lasted eight days.
Yarmulke The most commonly known and recognized piece of Jewish garb is actually the one with the least religious significance. The word yarmulke (usually, but not really correctly, pronounced yammica) is Yiddish. According to Leo Rosten’s The Joys of Yiddish, it comes from a Tartar word meaning skullcap. According to some Orthodox and Chasidic rabbis I know, it comes from the Aramaic words “yerai malka” (fear of or respect for The King). The Hebrew word for this head covering is kippah (pronounced key-pah). It is an ancient practice for Jews to cover their heads during prayer. This probably derives from the fact that in Eastern cultures, it is a sign of respect to cover the head (the custom in Western cultures is the opposite: it is a sign of respect to remove one’s hat). Thus, by covering the head during prayer, one showed respect for G-d. In addition, in ancient Rome, servants were required to cover their heads while free men did not; thus, Jews covered their heads to show that they were servants of G-d. In medieval times, Jews covered their heads as a reminder that G-d is always above them. Whatever the reason given, however, covering the head has always been regarded more as a custom rather than a commandment. There is no special significance to the yarmulke as a specific type of head covering. Its light weight, compactness and discreteness make it a convenient choice of head gear. I am unaware of any connection between the yarmulke and the similar skullcap worn by the Pope.
Magen David The Magen David (shield of David, or as it is more commonly known, the Star of David) is the symbol most commonly associated with Judaism today, but it is actually a relatively new Jewish symbol. It is supposed to represent the shape of King David’s shield (or perhaps the emblem on it), but there is really no support for that claim in any early rabbinic literature. In fact, the symbol is so rare in early Jewish literature and artwork that art dealers suspect forgery if they find the symbol in early works. Scholars such as Franz Rosenzweig have attributed deep theological significance to the symbol. For example, some note that the top triangle strives upward, toward G-d, while the lower triangle strives downward, toward the real world. Some note that the intertwining makes the triangles inseparable, like the Jewish people. Some say that the three sides represent the three types of Jews: Kohanim, Levites and Israel. Some note that there are actually 12 sides (3 exterior and 3 interior on each triangle), representing the 12 tribes. While these theories are theologically interesting, they have little basis in historical fact. The symbol of intertwined equilateral triangles is a common one in the Middle East and North Africa, and is thought to bring good luck. It appears occasionally in early Jewish artwork, but never as an exclusively Jewish symbol. The nearest thing to an “official” Jewish symbol at the time was the menorah. In the middle ages, Jews often were required to wear badges to identify themselves as Jews, much as they were in Nazi Germany, but these Jewish badges were not always the familiar Magen David. For example, a fifteenth century painting by Nuno Goncalves features a rabbi wearing a six-pointed badge that looks more or less like an asterisk. In the 17th century, it became a popular practice to put Magen Davids on the outside of synagogues, to identify them as Jewish houses of worship in much the same way that a cross identified a Christian house of worship; however, I have never seen any explanation of why this symbol was chosen, rather than some other symbol. The Magen David gained popularity as a symbol of Judaism when it was adopted as the emblem of the Zionist movement in 1897, but the symbol continued to be controversial for many years afterward. When the modern state of Israel was founded, there was much debate over whether this symbol should be used on the flag. Today, the Magen David is a universally recognized symbol of Jewry. It appears on the flag of the state of Israel, and the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross is known as the Red Magen David.
Chai This symbol, commonly seen on necklaces and other jewelry and ornaments, is simply the Hebrew word Chai (living), with the two Hebrew letters Chet and Yod attached to each other. Some say it refers to the Living G-d. Judaism as a religion is very focused on life, and the word chai has great significance. The typical Jewish toast is l’chayim (to life). Gifts to charity are routinely given in multiples of 18 (the numeric value of the word Chai). Torah (TOH-ruh) In its narrowest sense, Torah the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, sometimes called the Pentateuch. In its broadest sense, Torah is the entire body of Jewish teachings. The word “Torah” is a tricky one, because it can mean different things in different contexts. In its most limited sense, “Torah” refers to the Five Books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. But the word “torah” can also be used to refer to the entire Jewish bible (the body of scripture known to non-Jews as the Old Testament and to Jews as the Tanakh or Written Torah), or in its broadest sense, to the whole body of Jewish law and teachings. Written Torah To Jews, there is no “Old Testament.” The books that Christians call the New Testament are not part of Jewish scripture. The so-called Old Testament is known to us as Written Torah or the Tanakh. This is a list of the books of Written Torah, in the order in which they appear in Jewish translations, with the Hebrew name of the book, a translation of the Hebrew name (where it is not the same as the English name), and English names of the books (where it is not the same as the Hebrew name). The Hebrew names of the first five books are derived from the first few words of the book. The text of each book is more or less the same in Jewish translations as what you see in Christian bibles, although there are some occasional, slight differences in the numbering of verses and there are a few significant differences in the translations.
TORAH (The Law): •
Bereishith (In the beginning...) (Genesis)
•
Shemoth (The names...) (Exodus)
•
Vayiqra (And He called...) (Leviticus)
•
Bamidbar (In the wilderness...) (Numbers)
•
Devarim (The words...) (Deuteronomy)
NEVI’IM (The Prophets): •
Yehoshua (Joshua)
•
Shoftim (Judges)
•
Shmuel (I &II Samuel)
•
Melakhim (I & II Kings)
•
Yeshayah (Isaiah)
•
Yirmyah (Jeremiah)
•
Yechezqel (Ezekiel)
•
The Twelve (treated as one book) o
Hoshea (Hosea)
o
Yoel (Joel)
o
Amos
o
Ovadyah (Obadiah)
o
Yonah (Jonah)
o
Mikhah (Micah)
o
Nachum
o
Chavaqquq (Habbakkuk)
o
Tzefanyah (Zephaniah)
o
Chaggai
o
Zekharyah (Zechariah)
o
Malakhi
KETHUVIM (The Writings): •
Tehillim (Psalms)
•
Mishlei (Proverbs)
•
Iyov (Job)
•
Shir Ha-Shirim (Song of Songs)
•
Ruth
•
Eikhah (Lamentations)
•
Qoheleth (the author’s name) (Ecclesiastes)
•
Esther
•
Daniel
•
Ezra & Nechemyah (Nehemiah) (treated as one book)
•
Divrei Ha-Yamim (The words of the days) (Chronicles)
Written Torah is often referred to as the Tanakh, which is an acrostic of Torah, Nevi’im and Ketuvim. Torah Scrolls The scriptures that we use in services are written on parchment scrolls. They are always hand-written, in attractive Hebrew calligraphy with “crowns” (crows-foot-like marks coming up from the upper points) on many of the letters. This style of writing is known as STA”M (an abbreviation for “Sifrei Torah, Tefillin and Mezuzot,” which is where you will see that style of writing. You are not supposed to touch the parchment on these scrolls; some say because they are too holy; some say because the parchment, made from animal skins, is a source of ritual defilement; others say because your fingers’ sweat has acids that will damage the parchment over time. Instead, you follow the text with a pointer, called a Yad. “Yad” means “hand” in Hebrew, and the pointer usually is in the shape of a hand with a pointing index finger (I always find this incredibly amusing). The scrolls are kept covered with fabric, and often ornamented with silver crowns on the handles of the scrolls and a silver breastplate on the front.
The scrolls are kept in a cabinet in the synagogue called an “ark,” as in Ark of the Covenant, not as in Noah’s Ark. The words are different and unrelated in Hebrew. The former is an acrostic of “aron kodesh,” meaning “holy cabinet,” while the latter is an English translation of the Hebrew word “teyvat” meaning “ship”. The Torah scrolls that we read from in synagogue are unpointed text, with no vowels or musical notes, so the ability to read a passage from a scroll is a valuable skill, and usually requires substantial advance preparation (reviewing the passage in a text with points). Chumash Jewish scriptures are sometimes bound in a form that corresponds to the division into weekly readings (called parshiyot in Hebrew). Scriptures bound in this way are generally referred to as a chumash. The word “chumash” comes from the Hebrew word meaning five, and refers to the five books of the Torah. Sometimes, a chumash is simply refers to a collection of the five books of the Torah. But often, a chumash contains the entire first five books, divided up by the weekly parshiyot, with the haftarah portion inserted after each week’s parshah. Talmud In addition to the written scriptures we have an “Oral Torah,” a tradition explaining what the above scriptures mean and how to interpret them and apply the Laws. Orthodox Jews believe G-d taught the Oral Torah to Moses, and he taught it to others, down to the present day. This tradition was maintained in oral form only until about the 2d century C.E., when the oral law was compiled and written down in a document called the Mishnah. Over the next few centuries, additional commentaries elaborating on the Mishnah were written down in Jerusalem and Babylon. These additional commentaries are known as the Gemara. The Gemara and the Mishnah together are known as the Talmud. This was completed in the 5th century C.E. There are actually two Talmuds: the Jerusalem Talmud and the Babylonian Talmud. The Babylonian one is more comprehensive, and is the one most people mean when they refer to The Talmud. There have been additional commentaries on the Talmud by such noted Jewish scholars as Rashi and Rambam. Adin Steinsalz is currently preparing a new edition of the Talmud, with his own commentary supplementing the Mishnah, Gemara, and Rashi commentaries.
The Mishnah is divided into six sections called sedarim (in English, orders). Each seder contains one or more divisions called masekhtot (in English, tractates). There are 63 masekhtot in the Mishnah. Approximately half of these masekhtot have been addressed in the Talmud. Although these divisions seem to indicate subject matter, it is important to note that the Mishnah and the Talmud tend to be engage in quite a bit of free-association, thus widely diverse subjects may be discussed in a seder or masekhtah. Below is the division of the Mishnah into sedarim and masekhtot. Zera’im (Seeds), dealing with agricultural laws
•
•
o
Berakhot
o
Peah
o
Demai
o
Kilayim
o
Shebiit
o
Terumot
o
Maaserot
o
Maaser Sheni
o
Challah
o
Orlah
o
Bikkurim
Mo’ed (Festival), dealing with shabbat and festivals o
Shabbat
o
Erubin
o
Pesachim
o
Sheqalim
o
Yoma
o
Sukkah
o
Besah
•
•
o
Rosh Hashanah
o
Taanit
o
Megillah
o
Moed Qatan
o
Hagigah
Nashim (Women), dealing with marriage, divorce and contracts o
Yebamot
o
Ketubot
o
Nedarim
o
Nazir
o
Sotah
o
Gittin
o
Qiddushin
Nezikin (Damages), dealing with tort laws and other financial laws o
Baba Qamma
o
Baba Mesia
o
Baba Batra
o
Sanhedrin
o
Makkot
o
Shabuot
o
Eduyyot
o
Avodah Zarah
o
Avot (also known as Pirkei Avot, Ethics of the Fathers)
o
Horayot
•
•
Kodashim (Holy Things), dealing with sacrifices and the Temple o
Zevachim
o
Menachot
o
Chullin
o
Bekhorot
o
Arakhin
o
Temurah
o
Keritot
o
Meilah
o
Tamid
o
Middot
o
Qinnim
Toharot (Purities), dealing with laws of ritual purity and impurity o
Kelim
o
Ohalot
o
Negaim
o
Parah
o
Tohorot
o
Miqvaot
o
Niddah
o
Makhshirin
o
Zabim
o
Tebul-Yom
o
Yadayim
o
Uqsin
In recent times, many observant Jews have taken up the practice of studying a page of Talmud every day. This practice, referred to as daf yomi, was started at the First International Congress of the Agudath Yisrael World Movement in August, 1923. Rav Meir Shapiro, the rav of Lublin, Poland, proposed uniting people worldwide through the daily study of a page of Talmud. Daf Yomi is currently in its 11th cycle. A calendar of the cycle can be found at Daf Yomi Calendar. Other Writings In addition to these works, we have midrashim, which are basically stories expanding on incidents in the Bible to derive principles or Jewish law or to teach moral lessons. For example, there is a midrash about why Moses wasn’t a good speaker (he put coals in his mouth as a child basically as a way of proving that he wasn’t greedy), and another one about Abram discovering monotheism and rejecting his father’s idolatry (that’s a nifty one: basically, he smashes up all his father’s idols except the big one, then blames the mess on the big one, as a way of showing his father that the idols don’t really have any power). Some of them fill in gaps in the narrative. For example, in Gen. 22:2, why does G-d say, “thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac.” Wouldn’t the name alone be enough? One story says that the narrative is skipping out Abraham’s responses. “Take thy son.” “Which one?” “Thine only son.” “But I have two!” “Whom thou lovest.” “I love them both!” “Even Isaac.” (I’m not sure this is a traditional one — I got it from a questionable source — but I like it). There is also a vast body of responsa, answers to specific questions of Jewish law. Beginning in the middle ages, when local rabbis were faced with difficult issues of Jewish law, they often wrote to the most respected rabbis in the world to get answers to these questions. The local rabbi would present the situation, often including detailed references to the Talmudic passages he had reviewed and his own interpretations of these authorities, and the worldrenowned rabbi would provide a reasoned argument in favor of his answer. Over time, these responsa were collected into printed volumes. This tradition continues to the present day, and there are several rabbis in this century who have developed responsa on issues relating to modern technologies. For example, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, who died in the 1980s, wrote responsa on such diverse topics as the permissibility of cosmetic surgery, the kashering of dishwashers, and artificial insemination. There are literally thousands of volumes of responsa. A project at Bar-Ilan University is compiling these responsa into a computer database.
As you can see, the body of Jewish tradition is very vast. Is there any place to get quick answers? In the middle ages, there were several attempts to create definitive codes of Jewish law. The best-known of these codes are Rambam’s Mishneh Torah and Joseph Caro’s Shulchan Arukh. In their own time, these works were very controversial, because they did not identify the Torah or Talmudic basis for their opinions and generally ignored conflicting opinions. There was concern that such works would discourage Jews from studying the primary sources: Torah and Talmud. Today, however, these sources are well-respected. In fact, the Shulchan Arukh is often treated as a primary source. We also have a mystical tradition, known as Kabbalah. The primary written work in the Kabbalistic tradition is the Zohar. Traditionally, rabbis discouraged teaching this material to anyone under the age of 40, because it is too likely to be misinterpreted. http://www.jewfaq.org/signs.htm
Recipes David’s Recipe for Braised Lungs American cooking misses out on variety by unjustly neglecting organ meats. Main Course, Jewish •
A few pounds of beef lung
•
A few children
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A few large onions, sliced
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A few peppercorns, coarsely broken
•
Some fresh or dried marjoram
•
A pinch of salt
•
Water for braising
1. Cut the lungs into serving-sized pieces. 2. Show the children how the lungs are built, and explain how they work. Of all the organs we eat, heart and lungs are the ones that make the connection between structure and function most obvious. And the children enjoy the show. 3. Lightly brown the onions. 4. Put the lungs in the pot with the onions. Add water to cover and to reach a few inches above them. 5. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. 6. Add the marjoram, the salt and the pepper. 7. Simmer for an hour or so. 8. Serve with rice. 43
http://david-recipes.netfirms.com/recipes/Braised-Lungs.html Ewwwwww!!!
LEG OF LAMB WITH APRICOT STUFFING 1 (6 oz) packaged dired apricots, snipped 1/4 cup apple juice 2 cups brown rice 1 can (14 oz) Chicken broth. 1/4 cup onions or small green onions 1/4 cup chutney (optional) 2 teaspoons dried basil leaves salt and pepper to taste 3 to 4 lbs leg of lamb Cook brown rice in rice steamer for 55 minutes. Instead of water I add chicken broth and add enough water to make the amount required for your steamer. In bowl, combine apricots and apple juice. Soak for 20 minutes. Add apricots, onions, chutney and spices to cooked rice. Mix together Slice lamb down center horizonally, leaving one end uncut. Sprinkle salt and pepper over lamb. Place lamb on a rack in roasting pan. Spread rice mixture over meat. place remaining rice on top of lamb. Cover with foil. Roast fat 325 degrees for 2 hours or until medium doneness. Remove from oven. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving. Makes about 12 servings. If you need to feed a larger group double amount of leg of lambs, the amount of rice does not need to be doubled. While Meat is cooking I make white rice in steam cooker for those who do not like brown rice. http://www.just4kidsmagazine.com/rainbowcastle/seder.html
Explinations & Ideals G-d ! What’s up?? We have been asked numerous times why is the “o” always missing when the words G-d or L-rd are written? Basically its because Jews do not write the name G-d or L-rd. It has to do with the commandment about taking G-d’s name in vain. It is believed that if the name was written on a piece of paper and the paper was crumpled, discarded, or destroyed it would be considered a sin. http://www.holidays.net/highholydays/
Blessing A prayer beginning with the phrase “barukh atah...” (blessed art Thou...). Mitzvah (MITS-vuh); pl: Mitzvot (mits-VOHT) Lit. commandment. Any of the 613 commandments that Jews are obligated to observe. It can also refer to any Jewish religious obligation, or more generally to any good deed.
The Name of God The Significance of Names In Jewish thought, a name is not merely an arbitrary designation, a random combination of sounds. The name conveys the nature and essence of the thing named. It represents the history and reputation of the being named. This is not as strange or unfamiliar a concept as it may seem at first glance. In English, we often refer to a person’s reputation as his “good name.” When a company is sold, one thing that may be sold is the company’s “good will,” that is, the right to use the company’s name. The Hebrew concept of a name is very similar to these ideas. An example of this usage occurs in Ex. 3:13-22: Moses asks God what His “name” is. Moses is not asking “what should I call you;” rather, he is asking “who are you; what are you like; what have you done.” That is clear from God’s response. God replies that He is eternal, that He is the God of our ancestors, that He has seen our affliction and will redeem us from bondage.
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Another example of this usage is the concepts of chillul Ha-Shem and kiddush Ha-Shem. An act that causes God or Judaism to come into disrespect or a commandment to be disobeyed is often referred to as “chillul Ha-Shem,” profanation of The Name. Clearly, we are not talking about a harm done to a word; we are talking about harm to a reputation. Likewise, any deed that increases the respect accorded to God or Judaism is referred to as “kiddush HaShem,” sanctification of The Name. Because a name represents the reputation of the thing named, a name should be treated with the same respect as the thing’s reputation. For this reason, God’s Names, in all of their forms, are treated with enormous respectand reverence in Judaism. The Names of God I have often heard people refer to the Judeo-Christian God as “the nameless God” to contrast our God with the ancient pagan gods. I always found this odd, because Judaism clearly recognizes the existence of a Name for God; in fact, we have many Names for God. The most important of God’s Names is the four-letter Name represented by the Hebrew letters Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh (YHVH). It is often referred to as the Ineffable Name, the Unutterable Name or the Distinctive Name. Linguistically, it is related to the Hebrew root Heh-Yod-Heh (to be), and reflects the fact that God’s existence is eternal. In scripture, this Name is used when discussing God’s relation with human beings, and when emphasizing his qualities of lovingkindness and mercy. It is frequently shortened to Yah (YodHeh), Yahu or Yeho (Yod-Heh-Vav), especially when used in combination with names or phrases, as in Yehoshua (Joshua, meaning “the Lord is my Salvation”), Eliyahu (Elijah, meaning “my God is the Lord”), and Halleluyah (“praise the Lord”). The first Name used for God in scripture is Elohim. In form, the word is a masculine plural of a word that looks feminine in the singular (Eloha). The same word (or, according to Rambam, a homonym of it) is used to refer to princes, judges, other gods, and other powerful beings. This Name is used in scripture when emphasizing God’s might, His creative power, and his attributes of justice and rulership. Variations on this name include El, Eloha, Elohai (my God) and Elohaynu (our God). God is also known as El Shaddai. This Name is usually translated as “God Almighty,” however, the derivation of the word “Shaddai” is not known. According to some views, it is derived from the root meaning “to heap benefits.” According a Midrash, it means, “The One who said ‘dai’” (“dai” meaning enough or sufficient) and comes from the fact that when God created the universe, it expanded until He said “DAI!” (perhaps the first recorded theory of an expanding universe?). The name Shaddai is the one written on the mezuzah scroll. Some note that Shaddai is an acronym of Shomer Daltot Yisrael, Guardian of the Doors of Israel.
Another significant Name of God is YHVH Tzva’ot. This Name is normally translated as “Lord of Hosts.” The word “tzva’ot” means “hosts” in the sense of a military grouping or an organized array. The Name refers to God’s leadership and sovereignty. Interestingly, this Name is rarely used in scripture. It never appears in the Torah (i.e., the first five books). It appears primarily in the prophetic books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, as well as many times in the Psalms. Writing the Name of God Jews do not casually write any Name of God. This practice does not come from the commandment not to take the Lord’s Name in vain, as many suppose. In Jewish thought, that commandment refers solely to oath-taking, and is a prohibition against swearing by God’s Name falsely or frivolously (the word normally translated as “in vain” literally means “for falsehood”). Judaism does not prohibit writing the Name of God per se; it prohibits only erasing or defacing a Name of God. However, observant Jews avoid writing any Name of God casually because of the risk that the written Name might later be defaced, obliterated or destroyed accidentally or by one who does not know better. The commandment not to erase or deface the name of God comes from Deut. 12:3. In that passage, the people are commanded that when they take over the promised land, they should destroy all things related to the idolatrous religions of that region, and should utterly destroy the names of the local deities. Immediately afterwards, we are commanded not to do the same to our God. From this, the rabbis inferred that we are commanded not to destroy any holy thing, and not to erase or deface a Name of God. It is worth noting that this prohibition against erasing or defacing Names of God applies only to Names that are written in some kind of permanent form, and recent rabbinical decisions have held that writing on a computer is not a permanent form, thus it is not a violation to type God’s Name into a computer and then backspace over it or cut and paste it, or copy and delete files with God’s Name in them. However, once you print the document out, it becomes a permanent form. That is why observant Jews avoid writing a Name of God on web sites like this one or in newsgroup messages: because there is a risk that someone else will print it out and deface it. Normally, we avoid writing the Name by substituting letters or syllables, for example, writing “G-d” instead of “God.” In addition, the number 15, which would ordinarily be written in Hebrew as Yod-Heh (10-5), is normally written as Tet-Vav (9-6), because Yod-Heh is a Name.
Pronouncing the Name of God Nothing in the Torah prohibits a person from pronouncing the Name of God. Indeed, it is evident from scripture that God’s Name was pronounced routinely. Many common Hebrew names contain “Yah” or “Yahu,” part of God’s fourletter Name. The Name was pronounced as part of daily services in the Temple. The Mishnah confirms that there was no prohibition against pronouncing The Name in ancient times. In fact, the Mishnah recommends using God’s Name as a routine greeting to a fellow Jew. Berakhot 9:5. However, by the time of the Talmud, it was the custom to use substitute Names for God. Some rabbis asserted that a person who pronounces YHVH according to its letters (instead of using a substitute) has no place in the World to Come, and should be put to death. Instead of pronouncing the four-letter Name, we usually substitute the Name “Adonai,” or simply say “Ha-Shem” (lit. The Name). Although the prohibition on pronunciation applies only to the four-letter Name, Jews customarily do not pronounce any of God’s many Names except in prayer or study. The usual practice is to substitute letters or syllables, so that Adonai becomes Adoshem or Ha-Shem, Elohaynu and Elohim become Elokaynu and Elokim, etc. With the Temple destroyed and the prohibition on pronouncing The Name outside of the Temple, pronunciation of the Name fell into disuse. Scholars passed down knowledge of the correct pronunciation of YHVH for many generations, but eventually the correct pronunciation was lost, and we no longer know it with any certainty. We do not know what vowels were used, or even whether the Vav in the Name was a vowel or a consonant. See Hebrew Alphabet for more information about the difficulties in pronouncing Hebrew. Some religious scholars suggest that the Name was pronounced “Yahweh,” but others do not find this pronunciation particularly persuasive. Some people render the four-letter Name as “Jehovah,” but this pronunciation is particularly unlikely. The word “Jehovah” comes from the fact that ancient Jewish texts used to put the vowels of the Name “Adonai” (the usual substitute for YHVH) under the consonants of YHVH to remind people not to pronounce YHVH as written. A sixteenth century German Christian scribe, while transliterating the Bible into Latin for the Pope, wrote the Name out as it appeared in his texts, with the consonants of YHVH and the vowels of Adonai, and came up with the word JeHoVaH, and the name stuck. http://www.jewfaq.org/signs.htm
Warning! Read On At Your Own Risk! I debated considerably before including the following section in this book, but in order to present a balanced representation of all things Jewish, a sampling of what Jews believe, and not just customs, should be presented. The following section is a sampling of what Jewish people beleive about Jesus Christ. There are some slanderous and hurtful things said against our Savior, Jesus Christ, and the Infallable Word of God; however to omit them from the passage is to ignore the fact that present day Israel, and the religion of Judiasm, has rejected God’s Son, Jesus: thus rejecting the only Way to God, no matter how strict their observance of the law of Moses. So, prepare your mind before reading on, and take what is said in the spirit in which it was presented to you. “In all your getting, get understanding.”
Jesus, The Crucifixion, Pontius Pilate and the New Testament
The New Testament depiction of Jesus suggests that he was largely a lawabiding and highly nationalistic Jew, and a man with strong ethical concerns. Like many of Judaism’s great rabbis, he saw love of neighbor as religion’s central demand. Though many Christians are under the impression that he opposed Judaism’s emphasis on law, in actuality he criticized anyone who advocated dropping it. “Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law [the Torah] or the Prophets,” he declared to his early disciples. I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, shall disappear from the Law until its purpose is achieved.” The law’s “purpose,” of course, is the universal recognition of God, a goal which neither Christianity nor Judaism believes was realized in Jesus’ time, or since. Jesus concluded his message with a severe warning: “Therefore, the man who infringes even the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:17-19). On at least one specific legal issue, Jesus identified with the stricter rather than the more lenient rabbis. The prevailing School of Hillel taught that divorce was permitted for any reason, while the School of Shammai only permitted it in cases of sexual misconduct (Mishna Gittin 9:10)—the position later attributed to Jesus in the New Testament (Matthew 5:31-32). The subsequent Catholic ban on all divorce seems to represent an even stricter legal standard than the one Jesus established. A perennially interesting, though probably unanswerable, question is how Jesus regarded himself. Did he see himself as the Messiah? Probably, although one must remember that in the first centuries of the Common Era the word “Messiah” had a different meaning than it has today. Contemporary believers usually think of the Messiah as a wholly spiritual figure. Then, it meant a military leader who would free the Jews from foreign (i.e., Roman) rule, bring them back from the four corners of the earth, and usher in an age of universal peace. A century after Jesus, many Jews accepted the military general, BarKokhba as the Messiah, although even his greatest supporter, Rabbi Akiva, made no claims regarding his spiritual greatness. Indeed, it was precisely because of the military association with the word “Messiah” that the occupying Roman authorities must have seen Jesus as dangerous and decided to crucify him. That the Romans hung over Jesus’ body a sign proclaiming his crime, KING OF THE JEWS, again underscores the apparently militant and political direction of his activities.
Jesus’ nationalism, which occasionally spilled over into an unpleasant chauvinism, is illustrated by a story in Matthew: “Jesus ... withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Then out came a Canaanite woman from that district and started shouting, ‘Sir, Son of David, take pity on me. My daughter is tormented by a devil.’ But he answered her not a word. And his disciples went and pleaded with him. ‘Give her what she wants,’ they said, ‘because she is shouting after us.’ He said in reply, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.’ But the woman had come up and was kneeling at his feet. ‘Lord,’ she said, ‘help me.’ He replied, ‘it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.’ She retorted, ‘Ah, yes, sir; but even house-dogs can eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table.’ Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted”’ (Matthew 15:21-28). Concerning Jesus’ executioner, Pontius Pilate, we have a considerable body of data that contradicts the largely sympathetic portrayal of him in the New Testament. Even among the long line of cruel procurators who ruled Judea, Pilate stood out as a notoriously vicious man. He eventually was replaced after murdering a group of Samaritans: The Romans realized that keeping him in power would only provoke continual rebellions. The gentle, kindhearted Pilate of the New Testament—who in his “heart of hearts” really did not want to harm Jesus is fictional. Like most fictions, the story was created with a purpose. When the New Testament was written, Christianity was banned by Roman law. The Romans, well aware that they had executed Christianity’s founder—indeed the reference to Jesus’ crucifixion by the Roman historian Tacitus is among the earliest allusions to him outside the New Testament—had no reason to rescind their anti-Christian legislation. Christianity’s only hope for gaining legitimacy was to “prove” to Rome that its crucifixion of Jesus had been a terrible error, and had only come about because the Jews forced Pilate to do it. Thus, the New Testament depicts Pilate as wishing to spare Jesus from punishment, only to be stymied by a large Jewish mob yelling, “Crucify him.” The account ignores one simple fact. Pilate’s power in Judea was absolute. Had he wanted to absolve Jesus, he would have done so: He certainly would not have allowed a mob of Jews, whom he detested, to force him into killing someone whom he admired. Crucifixion itself, a Roman form of execution, was forbidden by Jewish law because it was torture. Some 50,000 to 100,000 Jews were themselves crucified by the Romans in the first century. How ironic, therefore, that Jews have historically been associated with the cross as the ones who brought about Jesus’ crucifixion.
Is there a Jewish consensus on how Jews are to regard Jesus? Perhaps not, but in recent decades many Jewish scholars have tended to view him as one of several first- and second-century Jews who claimed to be the Messiah, and who attempted to rid Judea of its Roman oppressors. However, almost no Jewish scholars believe that Jesus intended to start a new religion. Were Jesus to return today, most Jews believe, he undoubtedly would feel more at home in a synagogue than a church. An increasing number of Jewish scholars believe that Christianity’s real founder was another first-century Jew, Paul. Most statements attributed to Jesus in the New Testament conform to Jewish teachings. This is, of course, not surprising, since Jesus generally practiced Pharisaic (rabbinic) Judaism. However, at least three innovative teachings ascribed to Jesus diametrically oppose Jewish teachings. 1. Jesus forgives all sins: “The Son of man has the authority on earth to forgive sins” (Matthew 9:6). Judaism believes that God Himself only forgives those sins committed against Him. As the Mishna teaches: “Yom Kippur [the Day of Atonement] atones for sins against God, not for sins against man, unless the injured party has been appeased” (Yoma 8:9). The belief that Jesus can forgive all sins is fraught with moral peril. Some fifteen hundred years after he lived, Protestant reformer Martin Luther, writing in the spirit of Jesus’ statement, taught: “Be a sinner and sin vigorously; but even more vigorously believe and delight in Christ who is victor over sin, death and the world.... It is sufficient that we recognize through the wealth of God’s glory the lamb who bears the sins of the world; from this sin does not sever us, even if thousands, thousands of times in one day we should fornicate or murder” (letter to Philip Melanchthon, August 1, 1521). Humorist Jules Feiffer has bitingly satirized Luther’s position: “Christ died for our sins. Dare we make his martyrdom meaningless by not committing them?” 2. Jesus’ attitude toward evil people: “Offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well” (Matthew 5:38-39), and “Love your enemies and pray for your persecutors” (Matthew 5:44). The Torah commands that one offer the wicked man powerful resistance: “You shall burn the evil out from your midst” (Deuteronomy 17:7). Elsewhere, the Torah approvingly records Moses’ killing of a brutal Egyptian overseer who was beating a Jewish slave. America’s survival in the Second World War came about only because almost all American Christians rejected Jesus’ advice to “resist not evil.” One of the few religious groups to incorporate this principle into their everyday life, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, were used in Nazi concentration camps as barbers. The SS was confident that they would do nothing to harm them or other Nazi mass murderers. Judaism, likewise, does not demand that one love one’s enemies. Jews are not commanded, for example, to love Nazis, as the statement in Matthew demands.
3. Jesus’ claim that people can come to God only through him: “No one knows the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him” (Matthew 11:27). The implication of this statement — and the continuing belief of many fundamentalist Protestants is that only one who believes in Jesus can come to God. Judaism holds that anyone can come to God; as the Psalmist teaches: “God is near to all who call unto Him” (Psalms 145:18). http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/anti-semitism/jesus.html
Jesus Christ Is Lord, To The Glory of God The Father!
And Every Tounge Confess That Jesus Je
Things in Heaven, and Things on Earth, And Things Under the earth
“For One Day Every Knee Shall Bow: of